September 2, 2009

Dear Parishioners and Friends,

September 11 has been designated as a National Day of Service. On September 10, All Saints parishioners will prepare sandwiches for volunteers who will be engaged in service projects on September 11 and 12. If you can help, please contact Tim Trussell-Smith at: aprilandtim@gmail.com.

Please watch your mail for the Fall edition of Saints Alive!, our quarterly newsletter, and for the booklet announcing our adult faith formation opportunities for 2009-2010. You may also access these publications on our web site: www.allsaintsbrookline.org. If you would like to receive our newsletter in the mail, please send your name and address to Barbara Bembery at office@allsaintsbrookline.org.

SCRIPTURE READINGS FOR THE FOURTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

The reading from Proverbs is from the wisdom tradition of the Hebrew people: "A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. The rich and the poor have this in common: the LORD is the maker of them all. Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity, and the rod of anger will fail. Those who are generous are blessed, for they share their bread with the poor. Do not rob the poor because they are poor, or crush the afflicted at the gate; for the LORD pleads their cause and despoils of life those who despoil them. (Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23)

Psalm 125 exhorts us to trust in God: "Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but stands fast for ever. The hills stand about Jerusalem; so does the LORD stand round about his people, from this time forth for evermore ... Show your goodness, O LORD, to those who are good and to those who are true of heart."

The reading from the epistle of James is from the wisdom tradition of the Christian people. James instructs the community to treat all as equals in the sight of God: "My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ? For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in, and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, 'Have a seat here, please,' while to the one who is poor you say, 'Stand there,' or, 'Sit at my feet,' have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you? You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors ... What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you? If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,' and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that? So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead." (James 2:1-10, [11-13], 14-17)

The Gospel reading from Mark presents two stories of Jesus' healing ministry, his healing of the daughter of the Syrophoenician woman and his healing of the deaf man with a speech impediment. The woman seems quite feisty in her dialogue with Jesus, a quality that Jesus respects: "A woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, 'Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs.' But she answered him, 'Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.' Then he said to her, 'For saying that, you may go — the demon has left your daughter.' So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone." (Mark 7:24-37)

I invite you to join us for the Holy Eucharist this Saturday at 5:00 pm and Sunday at 10:30 am. On this Labor Day weekend, we will give thanks for all who work with their hands and minds to nourish and strengthen the human community.

Sincerely,

David A. Killian
Rector

Worship Services for

The Fourteenth Sunday After Pentecost
September 5-6, 2009
Saturday, September 5, at 5:00 pm — Preacher: The Rev. Laurie A. Rofinot
Sunday, September 6, at 10:30 am — Preacher: The Rev. Laurie A. Rofinot

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